Star Wars Celebration has now come and gone. The five-day event was a delight for fans that finally learned the title to Star Wars: Episode IX and got to see its first footage. In addition to the trailer for The Rise of Skywalker and everything it presented (Palpatine!), fans also got to see scenes from the first ever, live-action Star Wars series The Mandalorian. For many, though, the return of Star Wars: The Clone Wars was just as exciting. Ahsoka Tano is back.
Fans were left heartbroken at the end of The Clone Wars Season 5 when Ahsoka, one of the franchise’s most beloved characters now, walked away from Anakin Skywalker and the Jedi Order. Some of Ahsoka’s later exploits filled the pages of the E.K. Johnston novel, Ahsoka. What the former padawan did after she left the Order, however, remained a mystery. That is, until now.
Ahoska Tano Returns to The Clone Wars
When we first learned that The Clone Wars was returning, showrunner Dave Filoni revealed that Ahoska would also return in some capacity. We now know from the footage revealed at Celebration that she’s back in a far greater role than we expected. She’s not only back, she appears to have a central role in the final Clone Wars season. So much so that Rex and his troops painted their helmets in their (former?) commander’s Togruta colors. Fans are elated to know that Ashely Eckstein and her character are returning, but to what effect?
We anticipate that this final Clone Wars seasons will lead right up to the events of Star Wars: Episode III. Anakin Skywalker had already begun to feel the full effects of his abandonment issues in Attack of the Clones. (Lest anyone forgets his mass murder of an entire village of Sand People….) Anakin was devastated when Ahsoka left the first time. He felt hurt and betrayed. How will her return, and inevitable leaving again, affect the conflicted Jedi now? And yes, we know she leaves again. The character does not appear in Revenge of the Sith, but returns as Fulcrum years later in Star Wars Rebels.
Ahsoka Changes Clone Wars Dynamic
Ahsoka’s return will certainly be the focal point if this last Clone Wars season, But don’t discount the consequential subplot of Anakin’s emotional journey and downward turn towards the Dark Side. Anakin always had trouble controlling his emotions. With his padawan’s return comes an obvious high, following one of his deepest lows in her leaving. We know there’s only so much emotional turmoil Anakin can take.
I used to think Anakin’s love for Padmé was the driving force behind his descent to darkness. Now I’m starting to think it’s actually his latent love for Ahsoka that may be the true culprit. We’ll find out when The Clone Wars returns on Disney+ this coming November.
If you read the book “Ahsoka” it gives a lot of detail about what Anakin thought happened to both Ahsoka and Rex on Mandalore.
The book was a great read. I may have to revisit it before ‘The Clone Wars’ returns in November.